ORIGIN

Perfect Street Scalino: 1968 Alfa GT Junior 1300

This 1968 Alfa Romeo GT Junior has is a very clean low-mile unit that has been given a tasteful host of GTA upgrades. It remains street friendly and the seller drove the car 3500 miles over the summer after buying the car on the East Coast. We love the Pinot Verde as opposed to the more common red, and details like the cooling cut-outs behind the front bumper and the push-button door locks are well executed. Find it here on the AlfaBB in Detroit, Michigan for $28,500.

Lately we have been following the Nuerburgring trips that the guys from Alfaholics have been putting together. The shot below shows one of their loveliest customer cars on track at an event last year (not the same one for sale here). So many of the cars are red that this green car really stands out.

The Alfaholics guys love the 15-inch wheel upgrade, but the 14’s for sale on the Michigan car are the same as were used on the cars back in the day. Inside the car for sale a very clean brown interior is nicely contrasted by a Veloce wood dash and a pricey GTA-style steering wheel.

Under the hood this GT Junior only has the 1300cc version of the Alfa 4-cylinder engine. Driving a slow car fast is fun, but if keeping up with the faster cars is getting difficult we’d save our allowance for a 1600cc or 2000cc upgrade. Engines can be grabbed from low-dollar Spiders pretty easily or you can opt for a pricey and fresh unit from the builders in the Alfa vintage racing circles.

This is an excellent example of a the right Alfa Model. It has near universal appeal at racing and rally events, and though the price is high it seems a better offering than the several $35k offers we have seen at dealers recently. Pull the bumpers off for a more aggressive look and put them back on for weekend dates to the theater.

@1750GTV… Don’t worry, remember that this cars were cheap 2-3 years ago, so most of the reproduction parts fabricators were not interested because it was financially non sense… As this cars are getting expensive they will start making parts for them,,, $$$$ … money talks… Besides that,,, gone are the times when just a few big factories could make complicated parts,,, with the new generation of 5 axis CNC machines, programs like “Solid Works” and all sort of trick tools anyone can make anything on his garage as long as it is financially feasible….

As for the 1750 crankshaft,,, as last resource you can TIG weld the journals, reground them to standard and heat treat again… once balance will work fine!

@Axel C “Alfas will go up because there are plenty of parts and vendors all around the world…”

I wish there WERE plenty of parts. Those vendors carry mostly engine and suspension wear parts. I just hope when I tear down my 1750 engine that the crank is good. If not, I’m up a creek as they’re NLA! Trim parts are very hard to find as well. The stainless bumpers and window trim must be refurbished as no one makes reproductions. Etc., etc.

You’re right about the AlfaBB, though. I’ve gotten an incredible amount of support from the Alfisti there.

Whether or not we think this GTJ is worth the asking price, it would be very difficult to duplicate its condition for the price.

To balance that out, one must consider that every year there are fewer and fewer Alfas on the road (accidents, rust, etc…) and more and more people living on this planet, some of which will want an Alfa. So percentage of Alfa owners to be may decline, but in absolute numbers, the Alfa to owner ration will always be decent.

Besides, with most modern cars being at best stupid-generic in styling, and very little choice in the North American market, folks with money will look more and more to expensive and sporting vintage machines to stand out and show their wealth. This won’t do much for my Bavaria, but something like this should do quite well…

Alfas will go up because there are plenty of parts and vendors all around the world, and because there is a huge support from the alfabb forum….. It is a great community and there are tons of information about the cars… Are easy DIY cars specially the GTs and you can go from the “purist” car to the hot rod version and is still welcome in the Alfa world assuming that the owner has not made some Frankenstein hybrid. Sure,, they are not for everybody,, but which collector car is it???

Axel Caravias

Besides that,,, where do you think Enzo Ferrari learned to make cars???? RIGHT!, in Alfa Romeo (ok, ok don’t start throwing things on me and enjoy the day!!!!)

If Alfa makes its return to the US as promised (don’t hold your breath), demand for these older models will greatly increase. I remember the prices of early VW Beetles rose sharply after the introduction of the new Beetle. It’s too bad I sold my ’55 Bug just prior to that. :(

What a fantastic car! I love the color, and the GTA-style upgrades give it some subtle style. Vintage racing would require at least a roll bar, which would mess up that lovely interior, but this thing would be great for the California Melee and similar rallies.

The price, horrifyingly, seems downright reasonable for a nice, rust-free Alfa. A word of warning for those who think of Alfas as an investment, though– there are very few young Alfisti out there, so I believe that eventually, Alfa demand and prices will fall. My buddy Nick and I counted fifteen Alfa enthusiasts (including the two of us) who are under 30, which means that when the baby boomers get tired of the classic Italian “legs in/arms extended” driving position, he’ll be rocking a TZ and I’ll be driving a 2600 Zagato.

A beautiful stepnose. Considering it’s in storage in Michigan now, good photos from the seller regarding questions of rust… love to see thin amounts of undercoat with body color showing through! The color is similar to Porsche Smyrna Green, a slightly blue cast that’s really attractive. As others have said, the price is reasonable and can only go up. A big plus would be all documents and history, but he makes no mention of them. A nice pic of those would seal the deal.

@greg g – understand that ; my point was to build a hot rod 2 litre and later 5 speed. probably even change center sections. the [i thought] obvious inference was to save the o.e. stuff if you sold it or got bit by the originality bug. having driven [more than one] 1300 cars, it is my opinion that they are so slow as to be dangerous. as are 1600s. plus, it just sorta hurts my feelings to have to bang on it so hard constantly just to keep from getting run over. that said, this is my favourite alfa body style ever [well, maybe not counting 2.9’s :)] in my favourite colour for this body. a GREAT looking little car with the same mods so far that i would make. would seriously love to give it a good home ; just cant see the $ . my humble opinion, and worth exactly what it costs.

Mid eighties at Octagon spares in PA. I was looking for some parts for my sister’s Subaru and came across a car dead nuts to this one. GT Junior – same color. Had hit a pole in the front, but not enought to completely wipe it out in my young eyes. It was complete and non rusty. My hope is that it lived on!

I own the very last GTV brought into the country in 1974,25 000 miles, bought it new after my wife rolled our beige 73.(another story) Car just underwent full body resto,original Rosso red finish with Polyurethane clear coat. But I have to confess that this green 1300 is an absolutely gorgeous example . For what it s worth, I turned down 35 from an Alfa racer/ collector in Colorado at the Gold Cup vintage race at VIR last year. So I have to agree with Greg G,if you have a nice one,hold onto it.

Beautiful and well executed car!!!, just the right combinations. I agree with the engine swap to a juicy engine, easy and low cost transplant… Personally I would prefer the 1750 engine,,, endless rpms and that magical sound… But that is my choice,,,

jh, time to brush up on your Alfa’s… it is a 5spd as were most Alfa’s since ’64 or so. Awesome car at a very fair price. I sold a ’67 GTV via BaT for just under $45k and pretty quickly I might add. Currently have 3 vintage Alfa’s in the collection… wish I could add a few more, because they are only going up!

Great looking car. A built 1300 is a little screamer of a motor, but lack of torque makes 1500-1800-pound cars the best arena for them. Otherwise, be prepared to lose drag races to the Kia minivan in the next lane. (Which, if you’re me, you’re doing already!)